If Hugs Were Kisses
by NovemberMurray
Summary: I got to thinking: what if... A (slightly fluffy) rewrite of S1E13 Fire Across the Galaxy last scene. Kanan/Hera
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I've been watching Rebels from the beginning but I haven't had an idea for a story till now. I got to thinking that hugs could be a bit of a euphemism for… well… I think the title is generally self-explanatory. So, I present, the less PG version. Enjoy. –Em.

 ** _If Hugs Were Kisses_**

 **Chapter 1: Kanan and Hera**

Hera scrambled out of the Tie Fighter's hatch the moment it was docked. _Please be all right,_ she thought, her mind fixated on Kanan. Even though she'd heard his voice just a moment before it was hard to believe she'd really succeeded. Her broken heart wasn't quite brave enough to risk being shattered a second time. _I don't care if he's furious with me for doing this,_ she thought, _so long as we have him back._

The second hatch opened in the deck and Kanan's head of dark hair popped up, followed closely by Ezra. The boy scrambled around his master, grinning with victory. Kanan turned around. His eyes met Hera's anxious gaze and he smiled with bittersweet joy.

Hera's heart skipped a beat and her feet carried her forward before she consciously thought about moving. Kanan climbed up to meet her. He caught her shoulders in his large hands, squeezing hard enough to hold her in place and assure himself that she was real and physical—not a figment of his imagination.

"I owe you a great debt of gratitude," he said to her, glancing over her shoulder at Zeb and Sabine with a relieved smile that became a humorous smirk. "Even if what you did was rash and reckless," he counted out the adjectives with his fingers. Hera folded them back down with her palm and held onto his hand gently.

"Your welcome, dear," she said, smiling back at him with the same relief reflected in his eyes. He dropped her hand suddenly and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her thin frame. Hera happily threw her arms around his shoulders, but froze when his lips met hers.

His kiss was insistent and passionate and he held her tightly to his chest, lifting her off her feet. Hera was too shocked for a moment by the intimacy he rarely shared in public to respond, but her hands wound their way around his neck of their own accord and her eyes fluttered shut as she lost herself in the sensation she had never expected to feel again.

Chopper's snarky grumbling shocked them both out of the moment and they parted quickly. Kanan dropped Hera back to the decking, but to her surprise, he kept an arm around her waist and didn't pull away from her hand on his chest.

"Wait," Ezra said, sitting on the edge of the Tie's hatch, "if Chopper's flying the transport, who's flying the _Ghost?_ "

Hera felt the blood drain from her face and unconsciously leaned closer to Kanan. She felt simultaneous excitement for the imminent meeting, and dread for Kanan's reaction; he never wanted to be a soldier again and that's exactly what she had made him.

.

Hera trudged back onto the _Ghost_ from the _Phoenix Squadron_ command ship after her briefing with Ahsoka Tano and Commander Sato. She said a soft goodnight to Ezra and Zeb. The young boy was recounting the fight with the Inquisitor for the fifth time with yet again more exaggeration and embellishment. Sabine was already asleep when Hera peaked into the young girl's room quietly. Chopper was grumbling around by the navi computer procrastinating on the repairs she'd set for him. Hera gave him a stern look before reluctantly slipping into the cabin she shared with Kanan.

He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, meditating—something he'd been doing more often since taking on Ezra as a student.

"That took a while. I guess you had a lot to talk about?" He said with surprising calm. It wasn't the angry, sarcastic question she was expecting.

"Listen, Kanan," Hera said, looking down at her boots and struggling to find a way to explain without angering him further, "I know you're angry about this—it's not what you wanted—" Hera didn't get to finish her thought. Kanan's large warm hand lifted her chin and his lips crashed into hers with the same insistence as before.

She found herself trapped against his chest by one of his strong arms and bent backward under the force of his kiss.

"Later," he whispered against her lips between deep, open mouthed kisses, "later I'll be angry. Right now I'm just glad you're alive… I'm alive… we're all together." His hand on her chin slid around to cradle the back of her head at the base of her lekku and Hera couldn't hold back a moan.

Kanan shuddered at the sound against his lips and vibrating through her chest which was pressed against his. His hand on her back slid down to her thigh. Crouching he grabbed her leg and lifted her into the air, spinning her around to deposit the beautiful twi'lek locking her lips with his on their bunk. She dragged him with her with one hand around his shoulders while the other worked the tie out of his hair.

"I thought I'd lost you," she whispered against his neck, burying her face in his shirt and breathing in the smell that was uniquely his. It was so much more potent and comforting than the weak imitation left on his pillow and his clothes that had been little comfort in the long days without him.

"It was the only thing that got me through," he said and pressed his lips to her temple, "knowing that all of you were safe."

Hera cringed, unable to accept his gratitude, and wound her arms more firmly around him, gripping his shirt.

"None of us would be here if you hadn't sacrificed yourself," she reminded him, tears welling in her eyes at the memory of Ezra and Sabine's angry shouts as she flew away without her lover. She leaned back to look at his face and gripped his shoulders, as he had gripped hers hours ago in the corridor. "I know I had to protect our family," she said, "but leaving you behind was the hardest thing I've ever done." Hera put her hand against the side of his face, feeling the alien yet familiar scratch of his hair against her palm.

"You came back for me," he reminded her, "even when you shouldn't have."

"We need you, Kanan," she whispered, looking away, "need your guidance and strength. I didn't know what to do without you, how we could go on fighting after losing you. _I_ need you…" Kanan pulled her closer and she glanced up at his shining eyes and cocky smirk.

"I don't plan on going anywhere. For the next few hours I intend to be right her with you."

Hera smiled, tears spilling over down her cheeks and dragged Kanan in for a fierce kiss. He pushed her back against the bed and crawled up with her. He would be angry later, but for now they were just thankful to be together again with their strange family, safe, if only for the moment.

Author's Note: Hope you liked it. Leave me a review if you have a moment. If there are any other scenes you'd like to see with a more adult rating I'd love to hear. If you're a Clone Wars fan check out my authors page for other Star Wars stories. Thanks for reading! –Em


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: At the request of one very nice Guest reviewer, a bit of fluff. This takes place during S1E2 Fighter Flight, in which Hera sends Zeb and Ezra on a wild Meilooron hunt, Sabine gets inspired, and a (very important) Tie Fighter gets stolen. But between all that, Hera and Kanan have a rare moment alone. Hope you enjoy. –Em

 _ **If Hugs Were Kisses**_

 **Chapter 2: Kanan and Hera**

Hera walked into the empty common room and stood for a moment with her eyes closed. Silence. She sighed contentedly. It had been a rare thing since Ezra joined their motley crew, not that they were very quiet to begin with. But before that, before Kanan, and Zeb, and Sabine….There had been a time when the _Ghost_ lived up to her name—the quiet dusty atmosphere and vacant bunks promising a restless night jumping at strange noises and the inescapable smell of dust. Hera looked around at the vivacious colors that bled onto every surface, the pile of dishes from breakfast, and the worn seats of the galley table. The _Ghost_ finally felt like a home, with all the warmth that family brought to it. She crossed the room to the cockpit door.

Hera smiled when she saw the person she was looking for sitting at the hollonet terminal with his back to her. She quietly crossed the deck, knowing there was no chance he hadn't sensed her. She smirked, _that doesn't mean I can't surprise him._ She waited until she was right behind his chair. She leaned down and pressed a warm kiss to the side of his neck. Her small, nimble hands slid over his shoulders and down his chest lightly.

Kanan gasped and jerked back in his seat, vainly trying to avoid her creeping hands.

"Hello Dear," Hera whispered against his neck, knowing how the soft breath of her voice would make the wet kiss cold on his skin. Kanan shivered and swallowed.

"Hera!" He said meaningfully, keeping his voice low. He was always sensitive about touching in public, and even more so when Ezra was around. The Jedi disapproval of attachments was deeply ingrained and hard to break free of, even after a decade and a half.

"Relax," Hera said soothingly, her hands still roaming freely across his chest. "I heard Chopper complaining as he went out and Sabine is _inspired_ , she won't be paying attention to anything for a while. You know how she gets." She nibbled his ear lightly and used one hand to drape a lek across his shoulders. The sinuous part of her body twitched and clung to his neck, invitingly warm. Hera smiled at the feeling of his course hair scratching against the sensitive appendage; it was alien, yet exhilarating at the same time. She happily went back to kissing a line from his ear to his collar, pulling his shirt farther down to expose more warm, tan skin. To her joy it elicited a sigh, that sounded deceptively like a moan, from Kanan, and he tilted his head to give her better access.

"Is this why you sent the boys out looking for…" He trailed off as her fingers skimmed farther down over his abdomen.

"Maybe partly," she whispered in his ear, cursing the chair back between them. "We haven't had a lot of time alone together recently."

"I had noticed," he assured her, turning to look into her eyes. He leaned back and Hera stood on her toes to kiss his lips gently once, then again more passionately. Kanan growled a moan against her mouth, and she could almost feel his resistance snapping.

" _Karabast,"_ his hissed. He pulled away only to twist around and meet her lips again as he stood. She felt his hands grasp her waist firmly, and he dragged Hera toward him, turning the tides on her. He stood over her, passionately returning her kisses. One of his hands roamed up her back while the other slid lower, feeling the curves of her body through her bulky flightsuit. Hera silently cheered her own victory.

 _"WhaaaWaampaWahWahrrr!"_ Choppers unmistakable, indignant grumblings grew louder as he rolled through the _Ghost_ toward the cockpit.

Hera groaned and leaned limply against Kanan. He pulled away with a deep, heavy sigh. He stepped away but his hands were reluctant to let her go, and without his support she slumped dejectedly against Sabine's chair.

Chopper rolled into the cockpit with loud, angry demands, spinning and waving his manipulator arms, insisting Kanan had made a deal with him.

Hera turned to Kanan with a look that said "why in the nine hells of Correlia did you do that?"

Kanan closed his eyes in defeat and ran a hand down his face. "I did say I would play dejarik with you if you replaced the port sensor array," Kanan admitted.

"I asked _you_ to do that," Hera said with narrowed eyes. Kanan leaned away as if physical distance might shield him from her displeasure.

"Well, it… got done, didn't it?" He stumbled to find an answer. From her look it was clear she was less than satisfied. Kanan sighed, knowing he'd pay for it later.

"Come on, Chop." He patted the foul tempered, intruding droid on his top and shuffled after him back into the common room. Hera glared at his back until they were gone, then her lips thinned into an excited smirk. Kanan may have spoiled her fun this time, but she had _lots_ of ideas how he could make it up to her… if they ever managed to get more than a moment alone that is.

.

Author's Note: Haha! Oh the joys of _children!_ Anyway. I'm thinking of writing an alternate 'how the Ghost crew got together' fic. Any interest? (There would of course be lots of Kanan/Hera… Kanera?) or if there are any other moments you think I could embelish drop me a review. Hope you enjoyed it. -Em


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